Six times that Jacob thought that Jack was in love with Sam
by SaidbhinLuch
Summary: And the last time he knew for sure. Short snippets over the seven years that Jacob Carter knew Jack O'Neill. Romance, some angst and fatherly worry. Clearly J/S in nature, told from Jacobs point of view.


**Note: Bold italic is internal Jacob and plain italic is Selmak.**

* * *

The first time that Jacob Carter suspected that Jack O'Neill might just be in love with his daughter, (or at the very least toeing the line of some very inappropriate feelings) was precisely 20 minutes and 38 seconds after meeting the man.

He was just chatting to George, trying to stop himself from clawing at his skin, (damned cancer), when he first glimpsed it.

The rather flippant and slightly subordinate man, was smirking, no smiling at Sam as she laughed brightly at something he'd clearly just pointed out. There was a glimmer in his eyes that no man he had seen with a similar background show so freely.

That glimmer also meant trouble for Sam if she wasn't careful. Jacob couldn't exactly blame the man for seeing Sam in that light occasionally, for she was the mirror image of her mother after all, but...

He just hoped to god he was wrong about it.

* * *

The second time that Jacob Carter entertained the notion of Jack O'Neill being in love with his daughter was five minutes after he believed what she had told him about her life.

He was walking slowly out of the room, refusing the wheelchair, as he was not a god damned cripple yet, when he thought he saw it once again.

The man had nodded at him briefly before turning to Sam and giving her a deep look. After a moment he realised that it wasn't a look, but a silent communication as his daughter replied, with her eyes alone.

As she took his arm again, the hardened Colonel's face softened, for a split second.

And once again, Jacob found himself praying he was wrong.

* * *

The third time, he wasn't the first one to notice, Selmak helpfully squealed over it.

It was also the first time that he discovered that an old broad in his head, could actually squeal. Jacob was in the middle of discussing just some of the cultural aspects of the Tok'ra with Dr. Jackson, when she saw it.

Jack was laughing at something Sam had pointed out. Selmak had screeched in his head as she took in the moment.

'_Oh how wonderful Jacob! Are they not marvellously suited? What is that Tau'ri symbolism you've taught me... Oh yes, __Ying and Yang__, balance. They also happen to be adorable!'_

'_**Adorable? Jack O'Neill? Clearly your 100 plus years have driven you around the proverbial bend.'**_

'_Oh you simply see what you wish to Jacob. They do make a handsome pair.'_

'_**...'**_

'_Don't growl at me Jacob, I can make things most trying for you.'_

'_**You already are.'**_

'_You would not so irritable if you did not agree with me.'_

'_**Sometimes I really hate you.'**_

* * *

The fourth time Jacob felt the sneaking suspicion that Jack was in love with Sam, was shortly after they nearly blew up.

Well after he himself nearly blew them up. Not one of his finer moments he'd admit, but as he watched Jack check up on Sam, touching her arm for the briefest of moments...

He knew that Jack knew _exactly_ how he felt about his daughter.

'_Oh whose kidding who now?'_

'_**Sel do me a favour and shut it. A father does **__**not**__**need to be thinking about that.'**_

'_While they are most honourable holding themselves back so, but these regulations are just ludicrous.'_

'_**I'm glad that he has.'**_

'_It's not just Jack O'Neill holding himself back for the greater good. These romantic inclinations are not one sided. Samantha feels them just as deeply.'_

'_**We are not discussing my daughters' feelings for her CO. I do not want to think about it.'**_

'_Jacob...'_

'_**Would you please stop imitating my wife?'**_

'_She was a wise woman.'_

At this Jacob shook his head and watched as both Daniel and Jack cocked their heads at him faces slightly bemused and rolled his eyes as Sam tried her best to smother a smile.

These people were all going to be the death of him.

* * *

The fifth time it happened, Jacob really began to worry about both himself and Sam.

Though the worry also had to do with the fact that one of her closest friends had just... well technically died but according to Jack, he hadn't really.

They were still standing in the room, staring at the now empty clothes on the bed, except Jack was staring at the ceiling.

And Sam, Sam was glaring at him, tears shimmering in her eyes and threatening to fall.

George and Doctor Frasier left first, Teal'c nodded at Jacob before stepping outside and waiting. Jacob looked at her and then at Jack before a slight cough caught his attention.

Teal'c was staring at him meaningfully and he slipped carefully out of the room. However, like Teal'c he didn't go very far, hovering outside the room before he heard it.

'Why did you let him go?' Jacob had half a mind to storm back into the room and gather his daughter into his arms as he heard her broken whisper.

'He wanted to go, I couldn't say no, though I wanted to.'

'You could have stopped him.'

'Carter, I have never been able stop Daniel Jackson from doing anything.' At this Jack actually sounded weary and heavy.

'You could have and we both know it.' He had never heard her so angry in all his life, ice cold rage in every word.

'I tried, but he didn't want to be saved. He wanted to go, haven't you noticed his behaviour this past year?'

'But why-?'

'I don't know, he never said, since he didn't want help, there is nothing we could have done to save him. A person can only be saved if they want it, trust me on that.' Jacob was now feeling guilty for eavesdropping on the conversation, though as he heard a sob he stepped forward.

He stopped in the doorway as he watched Jack pull Sam into a hug as she cried. It was the gentle way that he held her and the head tuck into her shoulder that spoke volumes to him.

He swallowed and moved away, suddenly feeling like he was intruding.

* * *

The sixth time the thought occurred to him, he know that Selmak and his late wife were laughing their non-existent asses off at him.

He was just after leaving Sam in the infirmary, beyond grateful that she had survived. He looked back to take, what could be his last look at her, to see Jack pull up next to her bed. She had clearly drifted back off to sleep and he was sitting with her taking advantage of the late hour.

Daniel had told him that Sam had started seeing someone, a friend of Mark's. While he was glad that Sam was out living her life, he couldn't imagine how Jack was feeling about the situation. Things seemed to have taken a swift turn in the past few weeks, for they had been in lock step with one another shortly after the Tartarus mission.

As he watched, Jack glanced around the infirmary before taking her hand and closing his eyes.

Jacob had never seen the man so still, and as he stared at his daughter one final time, Jacks eye swivelled round and widened in surprise as he saw Jacob.

Jacob held his gaze for a minute before nodding and turning away.

Jack O'Neill would take of her, of that he was certain.

* * *

The final time he saw how Jack felt about Sam, he knew that he was the right man for his daughter.

A man willing to sacrifice his own happiness for her was a man worthy of his daughter. Not that _schmuck_ who couldn't keep his trap shut for fifteen seconds.

Any and all reservations that he may have had about the man had all evaporated as he truly took in the true depth of the man.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as he spoke quietly the few Tok'ra who had come to pay their respects. Jack entered the room and looked down at him before turning to Sam. She was looking down from the observation deck, and she visibly jumped as Jack sat down next to her.

He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but as Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Sam stared at him with her characteristically wide expressive eyes, he knew they'd be okay.

He smiled gently as Jack stared at her carefully and Sam stroke the hand round her shoulder and drop her head towards it.

As he felt the last bit of energy he had in him drain away, he turned to Malek and spoke.

'It's time.' Sam's lip trembled as the others nodded meaningfully at her. Jack stared regretfully down at him as she stepped out of the room.

'_Take care of her Jack.'_ He mouthed up at the man, whose eyes widened in surprise before nodding seriously, his jaw clenching.

In this moment Jacob knew for sure, that Jack O'Neill the hard-ass sarcastic battle scarred man, truly loved his daughter.

And that was enough for Jacob.

* * *

**I'm baaaaaack! Man that was a long month! But it's over and I get to see Star Trek Into Darkness this week. Queue nerdish squeal! And I was hoping to update Knights, but this hit me last night so I hope you enjoy it, even if it's been done before. **

**Also a story not from Sam's POV, I'm branching out! And if anyone has reviewed or contacted me in the past month, that I have not responded to I am SO SO SORRY! But things have been a tad manic.**

**Please read and review, be brutally honest about this, I would relish it!**

**Much love as always!**


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